Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Gulf Region (Riyadh MoU) of June 2004.

This Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control is an agreement, consisting of 10 Sections, to achieve safe, secure and efficient shipping in the maritime jurisdictions in the Gulf region. It commits the maritime authorities of the six Gulf States to a unified system of port state control measures and to intensify cooperation and information exchange on issues concerning Port State Control. Each Authority will establish and maintain an effective system of Port State Control with a view to ensuring that, without discrimination as to flag, foreign merchant ships visiting the ports comply with the standards laid down. The inspections are selected on the basis of a series of priorities that take into account (i) the time interval since the last entry into the port; (ii) certified deficiencies to be rectified or dangerous for the safety of navigation; (iii) non-compliance with the defined standards; and (iv) transport of dangerous or polluting goods.
The executive body of the Riyadh MoU is the Port State Control Committee. It is composed of the representatives of the 6 maritime authorities and meets once year, or at shorter intervals if necessary. A Secretariat will be established to enable the Committee to carry out its functions, facilitate the exchange of information, and prepare reports as may be necessary for the purposes of the Memorandum.
The 10 Sections are entitled as follows (1) Commitments; (2) Relevant instruments; (3) Inspection procedures, rectification and detention; (4) Provision of information; (5) Operational violations; (6) Training programs and seminars; (7) Organization; (8) Financial Mechanism; and (9) Amendments. The English text is the official version of the Memorandum.